Illinois Valley News

A plan to increase staffing levels at the Josephine County Sheriff“s Office (JCSO) is almost completely implemented just in time for summer, officials said.

Sheriff Gil Gilbertson said that the department now is providing 20 hours of patrol per day. He added that more personnel have been brought in through grants obtained by the agency.

JCSO Business Manager Sue Watkins said that hiring additional deputies and support staff was a “pretty large undertaking,“ but that it has resulted in increased patrols and more inmates being housed at the county jail in Grants Pass.

The JCSO civil office now is open during the lunch hour, Watkins said, and the records division is open until 11 p.m. seven days a week.

Watkins said that two more deputies are scheduled to attend the Monmouth County Police Academy in October.

Gilbertson said that some of the new hires didn“t make it through the complete process. JCSO deputies must pass physical and psychological tests, along with a criminal background check and academic benchmarks.

As such, Gilbertson said, some of the budgeted positions remain open.

Starting July 1, the city of Cave Junction increased the amount of its contract with JCSO. Deputy George Gasperson has been assigned for 40 hours per week for more than a year, but now has been joined by Deputy Brad Johnson.

Johnson, and his K-9 partner will provide 20 hours of dedicated patrol to the city.

Undersheriff Don Fasching said that will allow for more “proactive“ law enforcement in the area.

“What we“re hoping is that we“ll make a bigger impact on the criminal element that we have in the valley, not just Cave Junction,“ Fasching explained.

During the summer, Fasching said, there are increased reports of theft, vandalism and other petty crime in the Cave Junction area. Those incidents often are related to juvenile persons, he said, but the city has an enforceable curfew ordinance that makes parents responsible for their children.

Violation of the ordinance can result in a $500 fine.

Summer“s onset always means more use of the county“s boat ramp facilities. But vehicles parked there frequently are targets of thefts.

Fasching said that JCSO hasn“t seen an increase of such incidents this year, compared to last year.

“We“re attempting to control that by using volunteers as eyes and ears only,“ he said.

There also is an uptick in activity during the summer along Illinois River, especially the area near the swinging bridge out Illinois River Road at McCaleb Ranch Scout Camp.

That area, which Fasching said falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, “generates a lot of activity.“ The narrow, winding road presents problems, he added, and it is difficult to get people and equipment in during emergency situations.

The county also has started a program in which it informs residents of the area“s most-wanted fugitives.

“This is a program we“re really excited to get started again,“ Watkins said. “It“s been many years since we“ve had it.“

A JCSO dispatcher will review outstanding warrants monthly, Watkins said. That person will post information about the county“s most-wanted criminals on the JCSO Website and Facebook page, along with flyers posted at the department“s three substations and main office.

Also being utilized by JCSO is the Website nixle.com. Watkins said that the program is free to anyone, and that law enforcement agencies can sign up for it.

Through Nixle, Watkins said, JCSO can publicize traffic advisories and missing children alerts, and citizens can receive those notices via text messages or e-mail.

“It“s a really good forum for law enforcement to get their message out,“ she said.

Gilbertson said that JCSO is considering adding “a child is missing“ program.

That was prompted by a recent incident, in which JCSO was trying to find a 15-month-old child with a mildly communicable disease. The child“s father was notified of the situation, Gilbertson said, but the family went “underground,“ which prevented the child from being properly treated.

JCSO tried to use the Amber Alert system, Gilbertson said, but since no abduction had taken place, it did not meet the criteria.

The “child is missing“ program also can be used in emergency instances involving elderly people, said the sheriff.

In terms of long-term funding for JCSO, Gilbertson said that is the job of the county commissioners. But he added that during the next few years, the public will have to decide on what level of law enforcement it would like to have.

“The reality is, one day the money is going to run out,“ Gilbertson said.

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